Flames of the Heart
by Fox in the hen house
Summary: Judy's dream of being a real cop eluded her for months. Loneliness kept her secluded from the world. But all that was about to change thanks to a selfless act and an over-the-top smug firefighter. Rated T for suggestive settings.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: So I bet you're wondering what this new story is about and why I've started one with all of my other ones already in progress. Well, this story was originally started by a friend, Akanomie1. It was an intriguing premise but unfortunately he and his co-writer, Germanygsg91, are unable to continue writing it and have asked me to take over. The story is already in progress so I am mainly doing some rewrites in my style. It will be a side project and not hinder my other stories so no worries there. I do hope you enjoy it :)**

 **Disclaimer: Not mine! Sort of. So only aim 50% the harsh criticism my way. I don't own Nick or Judy or Bogo or Zootopia. Yet. One day your Miraculous's will be mi-...Sorry, wrong story.**

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 _Chapter 1 - A change in routine_

 _Eight o'clock. I wonder how this morning will go,_ Judy thought to herself bitterly. _Probably stuck in an orange vest and a stupid little hat again. Is it really so unbelievable that a bunny could do just as well as any other mammal?_

Glancing around, Judy took in several of her fellow officers. _I'm much faster than McHorn. He wheezes after running two blocks!_ Scrutinizing the gray timber wolf behind her she felt her eyes narrow. _And Wolford is so unprofessional. Always pulling pranks on his partner. He let a purse snatcher get away last week because he was 'busy' pushing peas into Snarlov's straw when he wasn't looking._

Though her ears were currently slumped down her back she did not fail to hear the heavy thumping of hooves coming towards the room. Sighing she began to stand even before the large hippo called for attention. Wincing slightly at the heavy pounding of fists all around her, Judy tried to focus on what was happening before her but just as every morning, the growls and roars shot vibrations through her chair legs up into her own making her just a bit unsteady.

The massive cape buffalo that entered the room headed straight for the podium without looking around, only addressing the assembled officers once he had placed his papers down. "Alright, quiet down!" he bellowed. All eyes were on him, though there was a difference that morning.

To say Judy was tired would be an understatement. There was no yawn slipping from her lips or drowsiness in her gaze. No. Judy Hopps was tired of not being _Officer_ Hopps. And for the first time in her many months of being on the force, her bright and chipper self was not present. She was such a nobody within the precinct though that none of the mammals around her noticed her attitude change, nor would they have even cared if they did. The Chief however was not quite so flippant about details.

"Hopps? Are you feeling alright?" Astounded and caught completely off guard by the almost _pleasant_ tone coming from her boss, Judy leapt to her feet once more, her ears snapping upright.

"Y-Yes sir!" For the first time in so long she allowed herself to feel a small bit of hope that maybe, just _maybe_ , she would be noticed and appreciated. "I'm fine! Better than! Ready to prote-"

"Splendid," the mammal cut her off, a sickly sweet smile on his face. "I would hate for our meter maid to be unable to write those tickets."

The snickers and laughs from her coworkers felt like knives being driven deep into her spirit. Her ears slumped once more while climbing down from her overly large chair. The rest of the assignments were given out but Judy heard none of it as she slunk from the room and headed for the garage. Passing through the entryway, she snagged the orange vest and slipped it on without enthusiasm. The small hat made it's way back between her ears which seemed would be it's permanent spot. Reaching the small vehicle's designated spot, she stared vacantly at what she had named the 'Three-wheeled joke mobile.' _A joke. That's what my job has become._ Sighing heavily, she climbed in and started it's small engine and headed out making sure she cleared the garage before the rest of the officers made it to their vehicles. One close call to being run over during her second week was enough for her.

The hours trudged along slowly as they did every day. Where her first few days had been spent zipping around and trying to impress her boss with going above and beyond the quota he had assigned her, now she had to force herself to do the bare minimum. She did not bother even leaving Savannah Central. After a month of rotating through the different districts, she discovered no one seemed to care _where_ she was giving tickets, just that she was and that she was out from underfoot. So she stayed where the climate was easiest on her.

While ignoring the angry threats and rants sent her way with each ticket she wrote, Judy reflected on her last few months. She had such high hopes after graduating at the top of her class, but from the moment she had stepped into the atrium, those hopes had come crashing down around her ears. She was trapped in a stagnant job with what looked like no end in sight. Judy knew that without a chance to prove herself, she would be stuck in the reflective vest for the rest of her career, and her boss seemed to have zero interest in giving her that chance. _Hey, maybe I can make supervisor in a few years,_ she thought bitterly.

Her parents on the other paw had been overjoyed to find out she was the token meter maid. "It's the safest job on the force!" her mother had cried joyfully. Her father was even worse. He had written a letter to the Chief praising him for his 'smart and insightful' decision in making Judy a meter maid as he was certain she would excel at it. Bogo had taken great joy in posting the letter on the case bulletin board where everyone could see it. She didn't speak to her father for a week after that incident.

With her mind consumed by ever-increasing negative thoughts she failed to hear a call-out aimed at her by a cyclist. As such, she barely escaped being hit by the raccoon barreling past her. The sudden jerk backwards to avoid the tires caused the doe to fall on her rear and a sharp pain radiated through her tail bone.

"Hey! Bicycles are not allowed on sidewalks!" Judy started to scramble up with half a mind to chase down the small mammal and ticket him for reckless behavior but the thought was banished a moment later when a flake of black snow passed by her eyes. Catching it in her paw, she felt the oily texture and smear it left on her fur. _Ash? Where would ash be coming from?_

Now back on her feet the bunny officer was staring down at the flake that was steadily falling apart. Raising her head, she looked at the buildings surrounding her only to see no flame or smoke anywhere. A few more stray flakes however drifted over the building directly in front of her. Perking her ears as high as she could, Judy strained to listen, desperate to catch any sound that she could. And that was when she heard it. An incredibly faint cry. High-pitched and in distress.

Working out the way the wind was carrying the ash, Judy hurried down a nearby alley that would lead to the next street over. She was forced to leap over a low chainlink fence that had been erected by a neighboring restaurant but with her strong legs she cleared it easily. Hitting the ground with a tight roll, she sprang back into a dead run never losing a ounce of momentum. She could feel the blood pumping through her system carrying the adrenaline she needed to race faster than she had moved in weeks.

Emerging onto the next avenue, Judy looked around frantically. It took her only a moment though as several mammals had gathered beneath a two story duplex with their gazes sent skyward. Tendrils of smoke could be seen pouring from the window directly above the street and Judy's strong hearing picked up a much clearer cry coming from within.

"HELP! Anybody, please!" A distressed rabbit doe appeared in the window holding a small kit in her arms. Judy ran across the street and used her small stature to maneuver through the crowd.

"Officer!" A pig who had been standing nearby noticed the badge on Judy's chest and, ignoring the bright vest, correctly assumed she was a cop and addressed her. "The fire department is on it's way but you gotta get her out of there!"

"I will, sir. Don't worry," she told him while her eyes never left the doe twenty feet above her. "Ma'am!" she called out as loud as she could to reach above the noise of the street and what must be roaring flames inside the building. Seeing the mother rabbit look down, Judy waved hastily to get her attention. "Ma'am, can you get to the stairs?!"

"No! They're blocked and now my bedroom door is starting to burn too!" Mentally cursing, Judy began to sweep her eyes around the area looking for ideas. Her gaze landing on an exceptionally tall male tiger next to her, she thumped on his leg to get his attention. It could not have been more than a light tap to the powerful feline so she was thrilled to see him take notice instead of keeping a watch on what was happening.

"Sir! I need your assistance!" Looking between Judy and the trapped mother, the tiger gave her a nod and moved forward. _Thank god for the good mammals in this world,_ she thought. "Okay ma'am! I'm going to ask you to do something and I need you to cooperate even though it may seem scary, alright?" A hesitant but affirmative nod of her head told Judy the other rabbit was most likely aware of what she was going to ask. "On the count of three, drop your kit down and we will catch her."

If it had been only Judy or really any other mammal nearby, the mother would have been more than unwilling to let her young child drop from such a height. But seeing the large paws of the tiger, paws bigger than _her,_ she felt reassured enough to take the risk especially with the flames now licking at her heels.

"One." Kissing the baby on her forehead, the doe started to hold her out the window.

"Two." The mother lowered her daughter as much as possible without falling out herself.

"Three!" A gasp reflexively went through the crowd as the baby fell. Twenty feet disappeared in less than the blink of an eye to Judy but the tiger's sharp eyes and quick reflexes allowed him to catch the kit and cradle her easily. Lowering the young child down to Judy, the bunny took her into her own arms and, after quickly looking her over to make sure she was unharmed and that the shrill crying was mainly fear and not injury, cast her eyes back up to see the doe already climbing onto the ledge for her own jump.

"Okay ma'am, now we're going to have you do the same!" This time a moose who had been on the opposite side of the street had joined the tiger, waiting to help. "Are you ready?!"

"No! But I don't really have much of a choice do I!" _Fair enough,_ Judy thought to herself. _Least she knows the reality of it all._

"Okay! One. Two." Before she could utter another word Judy watched in horror as a backdraft hit the room and the explosive force caused her to be flung out the window. Several screams rang out when the mother's limp body plummeted to the ground. Only be the grace of evolution that let tigers keep their size and speed did the doe survive, having been snatch her from the air and bring her down to the pavement. Cheers rang out but they went unnoticed by the officer now checking on both mother and kit who seemed unharmed, though the older rabbit had some deep singes to her fur. It would be up to the paramedics when they arrived to give her a more thorough examination.

Judy started to pull her cell phone with the intention to call and see how far away the fire department was when another sound reached her ear. It was extremely faint and seemed to be coming from the small corridor beside the duplex rather than from the front. Peering around the side Judy could just see a set of stairs leading to a side door through the shadows. Heavy smoke was coming from a slightly opened window but also stemming from it was the sound of crying.

Hurrying forward, Judy stood underneath the window placed well above her, out both paws under the bottom of the pane, and pushed upward. Or at least she tried to since the frame had seemed to warp from the heat and was now jamming the window in place. "Oh you have to be kidding me!" Undeterred, Judy looked around wildly and cried out in joy when she spotted a trash can nearby. Quickly clambering on top of it, she crouched down and took a deep breath to settle her nerves. With a powerful push from her legs, Judy shot towards the window, twisting her body in midair bring her feet to bear on the glass. Such was her speed and force that she crashed through with barely any effort and continued into the apartment.

Unfortunately she had not planned for what she would find inside the room. Through the thick smoke she could just see a countertop in front of her before slamming into the cabinets directly below it. A gasp of pain caused her to inhale a small amount of smoke which left her coughing and on all fours but she pushed herself to ignore the throb in her shoulder and tried to regain her footing. A wave of dizziness came over her and when she went to touch her forehead, her paw came away glistening with blood. At some point whether it was the glass or the impact she had split the skin. It wasn't deep but it wouldn't be pretty for a few days. But for now she set that aside and began crawling on the floor, hoping to quickly find the source of the sound.

Turning her ears side to side, Judy narrowed in on the crying she could still hear, but this time it was in stereo. And young. _Two children. Oh this isn't good._ Taking the risk, she got back on her feet and tried her best to keep her nose beneath the smoke. It wouldn't do for her to succumb to the smoke before she could find the young ones.

"Hello? Can you hear me?" Her call went unanswered for a moment which filled her with a flash of fear that they may be too scared to respond and would possibly cost them too much time.

"Yes!" Judy sighed internally, not wanting to breathe in too deeply to limit her exposure. "We're over here!" Rushing forward and having to only twice dodge around cabinets that sprang out in front of her through the smoke, Judy rounded what she thought was a kitchen table to find two small fox kits huddled around a larger vixen.

"Mommy won't wake up," the girl said. She was the older of the two judging by her size, but not by much. She had her arms wrapped around the younger boy, most likely her brother, protectively.

"It's okay. I'm a police officer. I'm going to get you out of here, alright?" The two nodded but didn't move away from their mother. Gritting her teeth against the pain, Judy reached down and wrapped her arms under the unconscious vixen's arms and pulled. Thankfully the floor was linoleum, the kind installed in cheaper apartments and was significantly glossy allowing the larger mammal to slide easier. The two kits followed along closely not wanting to get lost in the smoke.

Soon enough, even with the darkness obscuring their way, the group reached the window she had busted open. She could see the hesitation in the two young children's eyes at the broken window but Judy grabbed the only thing within reach that luckily happened to be a pan still on the stovetop and began to break the rest of the sharp glass out of the frame. It was cleared shortly and the two kits scrambled out. Judy grunted with the effort of lifting the vixen considering she weighed about three times as much as the rabbit. Once her top half had cleared, the fox tumbled out of the window. Judy feared for the female's safety on hitting the ground but suffocating in a burning building would be far worse.

About to climb out herself, the sound of cracking wood forced her gaze upward. Her quick reflexes and powerful legs was the only thing that allowed her to launch herself backwards to avoid the collapsing ceiling. Sitting up from where she had landed, Judy looked in dismay at her only avenue of escape suddenly blocked by an inferno. The fire had surrounded her and the smoke was becoming heavier with no exit for it to flow out of.

 _Is this really how it ends? Years of dreaming. Months of training. To end up a footnote in a police record._ The heat washed over her causing her head to swim. _No close friends even after being here for months. No boyfriend._ Feeling herself begin to have trouble breathing, she could do nothing but lay back. _I'm sorry mom and dad,_ was her last thought before darkness took her.

It could have been minutes of even just seconds before she felt something again. The first thing she noticed, even while still struggling to regain consciousness, was that the air felt a lot cooler. The second was that something warm and soft was pressed against her lips. The sensation was heavenly though it only lasted a moment. The sudden loss of the feeling was enough to rouse her and let her eyes snap open. The blurriness of her vision kept her from seeing too much in front of her, but she was able to perceive a pair of brilliant green eyes.

"Welcome back to the world of the living, Carrots."

 _Carrots?_ Her head was still clouded but she blinked away the haze and shapes began to emerge. A long snout tipped with a black nose. An orange furred face mixed with a light cream throat came into being. A smirk on lips that were very close to hers. Lips that were soot stained much like her own must be.

 _Oh my. Did he…oh god. A fox gave me mouth to mouth._ A sudden thought occurred to her, one that made her eyes open wide. _Sweet cheese and crackers! My first kiss and I wasn't even awake!_


	2. Hero worship? Or something more

**A/N: So here it is. Chapter 2. So far most of this is all the original plot with just my personal rewrites and touches to it so that's got it churning out faster than expected, but I doubt I'll have chapter 3 out quite so soon so make sure this one lasts you all!**

 **I'm really happy, both for myself and Akan/Germany for the wonderful response this has gotten and so quickly too. I hope our tale is everything you all want!**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing! Even my house isn't mine. But jokes on them! I have horrible credit and a ridiculous interest rate! Hahahaha! ...wait.**

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 _Chapter 2 - Hero worship? Or something more..._

Still dazed from what she could only assume was a mix of a near death experience and her first kiss, all Judy could do was blink up at the vulpine currently looking down, half-lidded eyes and a smirk staring back at her. "How ya doin', sweetheart? You took in a lot of smoke in there."

"I-I-I-." All she could do was stammer, still not fully able to articulate a response. Her mind was reeling from the overload. The fox's smirk only grew while getting a mischievous twinkle in his eye.

Before he could say anything else though a shout rang through the area. "Hey Wilde! Stop making out with the bunny and get over here. Still gotta job to do."

With a wink sent the doe's way, the red fox tod got up and headed for the group of firefighters standing in the cordoned off area, an elephant gripping a firehose aimed a the building while others were handing out axes and slipping on oxygen tanks. Judy knew she could only have been unconscious for a few minutes at most and was surprised at how quickly the firefighters had assembled and were battling the fire.

"Shut up, Richie. You're just mad I got a cutie this time while last week that camel shoved her tongue down your throat." The collection of mammals laughed uproariously, all playfully shoving the black bear who had tried to embarrass his coworker.

Though they seemed to be rather casual, none of them lost a step in what they were doing. She hadn't noticed at the time, but the fox had on his oxygen tank still and there was a heavy coat of soot staining it and his uniform. She surmised he must have been the one to bring her out of the building.

As he grabbed an axe and pushed back into the burning duplex, Judy felt a sudden choking sensation, a tightness in her chest that she couldn't place the reason for. It was about that time when a pair of EMT's that had been looking at the occupants of the building made their way over to her.

"Let's go, officer. We have to check you too and it's easier if you are over by the bus." She nodded in agreement and the three of them headed for the nearest parked ambulance. They had her outfitted with a mask and were pumping fresh oxygen into her body soon after to counter any smoke she had inhaled. She spent several minutes coughing which was expected, but eventually the EMT's left her to recover while they went back to check on the vixen who was sitting up but was still in rough shape.

"HOPPS!" Judy flinched visibly at the booming sound reaching her ears. She knew who that voice belonged to and it was most certainly not one she was looking forward to.

"Over here, Chief." Within seconds the imposing cape buffalo had pushed through the crowd of mammals busying themselves with watching the fire being tackled by the ZFD. She was surprised to see what she could almost call a worried expression on his face.

"Hopps. Good to see you're still alive." Judy gave her boss a small smile and nodded, her mind full of hope that maybe this would not turn out as badly as she had imagined when he first turned up.

"Yeah, I'm okay," she reassured him, taking a moment to drink some water left for her nearby. "Just got a little singed I think."

Bogo snorted and his usual scowl slipped back over his features. Judy's ears, which had perked up when he had seemed genuinely caring for her safety, fell down along her back. "Well I hope you got your fill of it, because it won't be happening again. You are suspended indefinitely without pay starting now."

Her eyes widening and her jaw falling open in shock, she could only sit there flabbergasted. "Wh-… _why?!"_ She managed to get out in a quiet and ragged voice she barely recognized as her own

"Insubordination. Reckless endangerment of yourself and civilians. Abandoning your post. Do I need to continue?" Her heart dropped into her stomach. His heartwarming demeanor had been all but a ploy to mess with her head. She was going to be placed on suspension and she doubted she would ever be back in the bullpen.

"Oh I think you do, Buffalo Butt." A strong voice cut into the conversation and the Chief and Judy both looked over to the side. "You were obviously going to comment on how she selflessly and heroically managed to save five lives while risking her own as the fire department struggled to get here in time due to a large car pile up no thanks to one of his less than competent officers that had caused it in the first place." The fox's smug grin and sharp words had thoroughly stunned the buffalo into silence.

He stepped forward towards the bunny while keeping his eyes on the towering mammal next to her. Judy took a moment to quickly smooth down her fur and brush some soot from her face while he was distracted.

 _Why? Why am I bothering to make myself look presentable?_

 _Because he kissed you!_

 _It was mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. It wasn't as if we had just gone on a date._

 _I don't know. That seemed pretty 'hot' to me._

 _Seriously?_

 _HE KISSED ME!_

She did not have any more time for self-musings as the Tod's attention had turned towards her completely. "How are you doing there, Carrots? Breathing alright?" Finding herself at a loss for words at the sight of such stunning green eyes, the bunny could only nod, her ears turning deep red and feeling as hot as the fire had been. "You know, that was incredibly brave of you." He gave her a genuine smile, the first she had seen him make since she had woken up. "I suppose being a bunny and joining the force would mean you _would_ be brave, but to charge in there to save those kits without hesitating? That's something else." She glowed at the praise casting her eyes downward to hide the blush furiously spreading over her cheeks. She looked up to see a very serious expression looking back at her, the smile gone. "It was also very reckless and downright foolish." This time her ears were down her back in dismay, having been scolded by the mammal she was coming to see as her hero twice over. "We are trained to handle fires. You are not. You are very lucky that we have six mammals that escaped from that building alive and not another dead one to add to the list instead."

Feeling thoroughly chastised, Judy dropped her head once more. She knew he was right but there was no way she was going to stand by while mammals were hurt. She wasn't sure what she should do right then, but when a russet and black paw was placed on hers, she merely stared at it. A warm feeling went through her when she took a chance and looked back up. The smile she saw felt like a million suns and lighting the world at once.

"You really should be proud of yourself, Officer Hopps-"

"Judy!" she blurted out, unable to stop herself. The fox's smile grew a bit and he tilted his head towards her in acceptance.

"Nick. Nick Wilde."

"Hey Wilde! Just get her number and move your tail! We got another call across town." Nick dropped her paw as he realized what it must look like to others around him. Slightly flustered he gave Judy one last smile, noting the heavy blush burning through her gray fur before heading towards the truck.

"Chill, Diego. I was just thanking the cutie for making our job easier."

 _That's the second time he's called me 'cute',_ she thought angrily. "You can't call a bunny cute!"

Spinning around while still jogging backwards, he grinned. "How about beautiful then?" Winking at the stammering female, Nick took off for the vehicle now pulling away from him. Leaping up and grabbing hold of the bear's paw, he got his footing and threw a salute her way.

Looking away quickly to try and bring her blush under control, she unfortunately had forgotten the very large mammal still next to her. Chief Bogo was staring down at the bunny, his expression still rather stoic but now seemed contemplative.

Sensing that to say anything at the moment might break the spell, Judy kept quiet, willing the buffalo to make the first move. She wasn't sure if it was mere seconds or agonizing minutes, but eventually his scowl dropped into one of defeat.

"Hopps, I-…I want to apologize for jumping on you like I did. We've had a few reports of missing mammals and an hour ago it jumped from three to six. It's…been a stressful day and you did not deserve that." Squatting down to not be quite so imposing, he reached out and placed a hoof on her shoulder, careful not to let the massive weight of it crush her. "You did good, Hopps. Five mammals owe you their lives today."

Rising up and unwrapping the oxygen line from around her neck, the rabbit stood tall and saluted. "Thank you, sir!" After months of not receiving a single word of kindness or praise, one speech from a mammal not even under his command, _and me nearly dying in the process,_ she thought bitterly, was enough to turn it all around. Bogo looked almost amused by the act of his smallest officer but returned the salute just the same before heading off.

Judy barely had time to process what had just occurred before another EMT had approached her. "Excuse me, Officer Hopps? There is someone who would like to speak to you." Curious, she hopped down from the back of the ambulance and followed the deer to a second one. Coming around the back the first thing she noticed was the mother rabbit who had been thrown out of the window earlier. She was looking a bit worse for the wear but the sight of her daughter sleeping peacefully in her arms had the young doe cooing.

"I want to thank you so much for what you did today." It was not an uncommon thing for an officer to hear after saving someone to hear thanks and praise so Judy did not think too much of it, taking it in stride and smiling back.

"I didn't do much, ma'am-"

"Rebecca, please."

"Rebecca," Judy said with a smile. "The tiger did most of the catching. I just counted to three," she said with a small laugh. She really was not in it for the glory and was quite willing to pass along the credit to where it was due.

"No, no," the older bunny waved her paw dismissively. "I wanted to thank you for what you did for the Russet family. Jane was taken to the hospital but her two kits told us all about how you saved them."

"Are you close to them? Good neighbors?"

"Much more than that," a voice came from behind the bunny cop forcing her to turn and see a tan buck practically speed walking to the ambulance. When he reached the doe and the child he gathered them in a tight hug, kissing the doe between her ears. "I came over as soon as they said you two were stable. I am so sorry I wasn't here."

"It's okay, Harold. We're fine. Both of us are." Looking back at the waiting rabbit, Rebecca spoke again. "John Russet was a good friend of my husband's when they were young. He passed a few months back."

"We were thick as thieves most of our lives," Harold explained. "When he got sick earlier this year I promised him I would look after his family as if it was my own. Seems like I failed at that," his tone dropped to one of regret while his eyes dimmed somewhat.

"No you most certainly did not. Don't you dare start thinking like that. You couldn't have done anything, you didn't even know something had happened. And everyone is okay thanks to Officer Hopps, here." The husband gave Judy an appraising look before reaching out and hugging the stunned doe though she quickly returned the gesture. It wasn't uncommon for bunnies to express their emotions in such a way. Rabbits tended to be very social mammals.

"Thank you so much, Officer."

"You're very welcome. Now, I think I will take a trip to the hospital to check up on Jane and her kits. Plus I think it would be a good idea to get checked out myself." Judy gave Rebecca a hug and nuzzled the young kit in her arms before walking away.

She didn't think she was in such bad condition that she would need a ride in the ambulance so after retrieving her cell phone, the small bunny doe brought up her Zuber app and called a ride. Thankfully they were nearby and the car arrived within a few minutes. The coyote in the driver's seat waited until she had climbed in before asking where she was headed.

"Zootopia General." With a nod the driver took off. Judy focused on her breathing making sure everything was working properly. But something seemed off to her. She couldn't quite put her finger to it until the coyote in front turned his head to watch the stoplight ahead of them causing his muzzle to look like it had a reddish tinge. Her mind was suddenly filled with the image of her personal savior.

"Actually, take me to Angelo's over on Fifth." It was certainly a change from her original path but the coyote didn't seem to question it. "I should bring him some pizza. He probably likes pizza."

"Who _doesn't_ like pizza?" Judy snapped her head up to see the driver's eyes still focused on the road but obviously still having spoken to her. _Oh jeez. I thought that was in my head, not that I was saying it out loud._

_._._

Standing in line for pizza is one of the most infuriating things that can happen to a mammal. And with so many different species living in the city added to all of the toppings necessary to accommodate them all, it was an even worse combination.

After tapping her foot for the last ten minutes, all the while fuming at the idea of the Zuber driver's cost going up, Judy finally made it to the front of the line after a large hippo finished ordering his seven large reed and grass pizzas with extra cheese. The teenage goat behind the counter suddenly looked relieved at seeing a bunny, not even noticing the burnt clothing and soot covered fur on her.

"One long-eared pie," he said into the mic. It was probably the easiest order he would have to send to the back all day.

"Actually I need a large half chicken and cricket, half carrot and bell-pepper pizza please." The order seemed to catch the kid off-guard before a smug grin crept over his lips and a wink sent her way.

"Axe the pie. Need a large inter-special. Bird-hopper on the left, pepper-carrot on the right." There was a small commotion in the back while a horned kudu popped his around around the oven, craning his neck to see who had ordered the rather unorthodox pizza.

 _Can't a bunny order a pizza for a predator friend without it seeming like I'm dating him?_ she mused to herself. _Wait…_ Do _I want to date him?_ While she was certain that before she had moved to the city the very idea of dating a fox would have seemed preposterous, her mind kept flashing back to the brilliant emerald eyes that had stared into hers right after he had saved her. The jolting sensation in her stomach after realizing it had been her first kiss returned in full force.

With a lot suddenly on her mind the doe barely registered the cost of the pizza and handed over her debit card on autopilot. _His eyes were beautiful. And he called_ me _beautiful. And god that tail looked so soft._ But was that all, she wondered. Was it just looks that was drawing her to him? The compliments about her actions and how she was 'cute.' _Am I reading too much into this?_

But then the memory of him strapping a mask over his face and heading back inside the burning building with nothing but an oxygen tank and an axe came to her. The very idea of him just being a pretty face vanished as she realized just how selfless and brave the vulpine really was. _He saved me from being burned alive. Breathed life back into me. He has more than a few strong qualities that make it something I should explore._

Nodding to herself in a promise of possibly seeing where her thoughts might lead, she took her finished pizza from the goat not realizing how much time had actually passed since she had sat down to think things over. She got one more strange look from the teenager behind the counter but this time she couldn't fault him for it.

It took another ten minutes for her to reach the fire station. She could tell the coyote knew what sort of pizza she had ordered by the strong sniff he had taken when she got back in. If he thought her choice was odd he never said as such, though a faint whine after taking a whiff of the chicken told her that he wanted every bit of the pie.

After paying him for the ride and also the extra time she had stranded him at the pizza parlor, Judy waved goodbye and started to head towards the garage. The box was relatively too large for her to manage properly so she resorted to placing it on her head, balancing it on the base of her ears. It was not the most ideal situation especially for how hot it was on the bottom, but she would make do.

Her appearance did _not_ go unnoticed by any means. While it may seem a bit odd for a bunny to be carrying a box on top of her head, the firefighters seeing that _particular_ bunny sent a few nudges and head nods in her direction.

"Wilde! You owe me forty bucks!" A wolf currently tying up the hoses after them being cleaned turned towards the engine bay and called out to the group assembled there.

"No way!" This time the cry came from one of the few mammals she recognized. Richie the black bear was standing just outside the door, staring agape at the smaller lapine female.

"What?! There's no way the chief could have known it was me that put that in his cof-." Reaching the entrance with his eyes trained on his fellow canine, the russet fox stopped dead in his tracks at the sight of the gray rabbit standing there, large white box perched precariously on her head. "Oh. _That_ forty bucks."


	3. All cards on the table

**A/N: Here it be, chapter three! This is a nice distraction to write when shit goes to hell and back so that's something. Getting a little serious now. Nick's losing cash and Judy's losing patience. Wonder who goes broke first.**

 **Disclaimer: Don't own Zootopia and I'm too tired to think of any plans. So here's a joke. What's the difference between a hippo and a Zippo? A hippo is really heavy, and a Zippo is a little lighter. Okay, that painful pun is over now. Get back to reading!**

* * *

 _Chapter 3 - All cards on the table_

Judy was speechless. Watching a russet and black paw slapping several bills into a much larger gray one was not exactly the way she had imagined seeing her hero firefighter again, but there it was right in front of her.

"Did you…did you actually bet on me showing up?" The wolf laughed while fanning himself with the spoils of his winnings.

"Oh that wasn't a bet so much as easily padding my pocket. Not with how you had been looking at our Nicky over here." The fox growled at his coworker who returned the the snarl with a playful smirk. "Wilde usually gets some adoring glances but something was different about you. I had a feeling we'd be seeing you again. Though," the wolf's head tilted with an even bigger smirk, "I didn't figure it would be quite so soon."

"No but I did!" The black bear Judy had seen harassing the fox earlier that afternoon walked up behind the wolf and slapped a giant paw on his back forcing the lupine to stumble. "Twenty of that is mine." Grumbling just as Nick had, the wolf pawed over half the cash he had just won.

Stepping forward after giving his two friends a harsh glare, Nick towered over the bunny. "Something I can do for you, Carrots?"

Judy had a hard time keeping her eyes locked on his. When she had arrived and the fox had come out of the garage, she had immediately blushed at the sight of him being shirtless. She wasn't quite sure what it was about this tod that was setting her hormones off since she had never been attracted to anyone outside her species before, but there was no denying she was beginning to feel a bit hot under the collar as her gaze flicked over his hard, cream-colored chest repeatedly.

"Hmm? Oh! Right!" Lifting her paws up over her head she grabbed the pizza box and brought it down in front of her. She was rather surprised she could have forgotten it being up there, especially with how hot the bottom had felt on her ears. "I brought this as a thank you. I didn't know if you had had dinner yet so I figured I could treat you."

The sight of the fox's grimace had her immediately thinking maybe she had overstepped. Maybe he wouldn't be under the same spell she had found herself in. But when a lycoan came out of nowhere and put an arm around the Tod's shoulders before placing his paw in front of him, the sight of even more money disappearing from Nick's wallet told her exactly what was happening.

"How many bets did you all make based on just me being here? That's three so far!" Nick groaned loudly again and forked over another ten into the wolf's greedy paw.

"That better be some damn good pizza, Hopps. I ain't got any money left for food this whole week now." Judy cracked open the box making all the predator's noses twitch. The minute the pie was revealed, Nick slapped a paw to his face. Another ten slid into the wolf's paw who went back to fanning himself with the cash.

"The 'Inter-special.' Called it!"

"Again?! Is this all you firefighters do when you aren't singing your fur?"

"Of course not!" the lycoan protested. "We also do talent shows! You should have heard Nicky sing 'Let it go' from Floatzen yesterday." Both the wolf and bear nodded with wide grins on their faces while Nick put a paw to the back of his head and rubbed it while looking embarrassed.

"Oh I love that song! Let it go, let it g-" Judy began but was quickly shushed by a large paw covering her mouth.

"How about _you_ 'let it go', huh Carrots? Look let's just go over there before you cost me even more money." He started to lead the way towards a picnic table off to the side of the fire station. As Judy made to head that way herself, the wolf leaned in and muttered softly to her.

"Twenty of this," he fanned out the cash he had won, "goes to you if you ask him out."

Judy raised a brow. "Another bet?"

"Nah," he shook his head. "Not this time. Nicky…well…let's just say he hasn't had anyone in his life for a long time and it's been dragging him down for the last few months." Interested by this, Judy gave her now co-conspirator a shrug and a wink before continuing her walk.

"No promises," she muttered just loud enough for him to hear.

Once she had made her way over to where the fox was now standing beside a table, she set the pizza down that had been steadily warming her paws past their comfort zone. The second it had touched the wood, Nick reached over and yanked out a slice covered in crickets with small strips of chicken and began devouring it. Within seconds the entire piece was gone and he was already onto his second.

"So," she began, wringing her paws awkwardly. "I wanted to thank yo-" Nick held up his paw, stopping her mid-sentence.

"I was only doing my job, rabbit. Saving _helpless_ mammals is in the description. That and putting out the fire is what I get paid to do." Judy gritted her teeth at the way he seemed so flippant about the whole thing, especially when she was trying to approach him about something so serious.

"Did I do something to piss you off? You seemed rather supportive of what I did earlier, even going so far as managing to convince my boss I would make a good cop, and now you're giving me the cold shoulder. Acting like I was some 'helpless' bunny who was in over her head." Jumping up on top of the bench, she strode purposefully towards the tod who was now looking a little worried. "Well let me tell _you_ something, mister high-and-mighty hose dragger. I saved those five mammals today. Not you. Not your team. Me."

Standing directly in front of him, Judy was nearly his own height and needed to only tip her head back slightly to stare up at him. It helped to impress upon the fox that she was not a doe to be underestimated.

"Look. Carrots. I'm not trying to be a jerk," he said with a slight smile having regained his mental footing. "Due to that little 'episode' after I resuscitated you I've been getting nothing but ribbing from the guys, not to mention I'm down well over a hundred bucks in the last ten minutes since you showed up."

"Oh so it's _my_ fault for showing up to thank the mammal who saved my life? You should be flattered I even bothered after you stole my first kiss." That seemed tock the vulpine a little. Confusion furrowed his brow.

"Stole your first-…wait…" Comprehension dawned on his face while the inside of his ears began to burn. "You never kissed a guy?" Judy began to gnaw on her own slice of vegetarian pizza while nodding, pleased to have control of the match between them for the time being. "And your first ended up being an ash-covered fox while you were unconscious."

"So romantic," she quipped with a scoff. "Wait until my sisters hear about this. Talk about jealousy." Nick rubbed the back of his head feeling rather embarrassed.

"Look, Hopps. I'm sorry I did that even unintentionally. I only did that because I didn't have a proper seal for the air pump for your size. It was already on the other bunny. I could have used a bigger one but I didn't think you would get the amount you needed. That's all." Uncomfortable with the talk, Nick shifted a bit on the bench. "Let's just finish the pizza and we'll call it even, okay?"

"I highly doubt that it makes us even but I _am_ hungry so I won't pass you up on that." Reaching over, she snagged a second slice for herself. "So how many bets did you actually place on me?"

"Eight. And I've already lost four of them and most of my paycheck."

Judy leaned over and placed her paw on his. "I'm sure it's for a good cause." A sharp whistle broke out from the corner of the garage where nearly half the firefighter crew had been watching them. Jerking his head down, Nick seemed to register where her paw currently was and groaned.

"There's another twenty. Wonderful. I'll be broke by the end of my shift. What's next? You want to come see my truck and check out how long my hose is?" His paw slapped over his own mouth when he realized what he had just said and how it could be taken.

Judy choked on her pizza at the unintentional innuendo making her cough slightly. Taking the pizza away didn't seem to help though as her cough suddenly worsened.

"Carrots?" The concern his voice was evident and the worried look he was giving her only increased as her coughing became harsher. "Guys, get her some water!" With seconds a cold bottle had found it's way into Nick's paws and he quickly unscrewed the cap before lifting it to Judy's lips. Tipping it back slightly, he let the water quench her parched mouth and throat to help soothe the irritated skin.

With her coughing subsiding for the moment, Nick gave her a quick look over. The slight tremor in her arms after each cough and the dilated pupils were enough. "Rick," he called out, "I'm taking the truck. Miss bunny cop here needs to get checked out at the ER." One of the elephants nearby gave him a quick nod before hurrying off.

"I'm fine!" Judy said before another coughing attack overtook her. "I don't need to see a doctor," she managed to choke out once it had ended.

"Uh-huh." Taking her by both paws, Nick stood and took her along with him. Letting go, he took several steps back. "Now," he said with a grin that could only be called _taunting_ , he waved her toward him. "Walk the line."

"Shouldn't I be making _you_ do that?" she smirked, pointing to her badge.

"I haven't been drinking, Carrots. At least not until after I get off shift," he muttered quietly. "Just humor me."

Judy took a few steps, smirking at the tod. _Hope he feels like a fool right now._ That thought lasted for only long enough as it took to take one more step before a wave of dizziness caused her world to spin and the ground to rush up at her incredibly fast. Bracing herself for the inevitable pain she was sure to be feeling, she pushed her paws outward and scrunched her eyes shut.

The impact never came. Instead she felt two warm, strong bands around her torso. Opening her eyes left her momentarily confused as she was still hovering above the grass, but the sight of the two 'bands' being revealed to be a pair of muscular russet arms had that confusion turning to embarrassment and she could feel her ears burn.

Being placed back down on the ground, she pushed herself away from the vulpine, though not without some longing to stay pressed against him. _Sweet baby carrots. Am I seriously_ this _hung up on this fox? He saved your life, sure. And he may have inadvertently stole your first kiss. But that doesn't mean you need to be swooning over him. He's nice to look at so look and then bid him goodbye._ The plan was sound, but as Judy took that look she felt herself slipping.

Clearing her throat she gave him her best winning smile. "So how did I do?" Hoping he would take that as her feeling fine, she straightened and forced herself not to give in to anymore coughing fits.

"You did fantastic, Carrots. So good I'll even give you a prize." _Another kiss?_ her mind betrayed her for a moment causing her to blush again before the last had even faded. "A free trip to Savanah Central ER."

She tried to protest but before she could utter a word, he had swept her up into his arms making her let out a squeak of surprise instead. She wanted to berate him. Wanted to push him away or punch his arm. Instead she found herself becoming very attracted to his alluring musky scent and let him carry her wherever he wanted.

Her eyes had just begun to close with a lingering desire to nuzzle against his bare chest when she suddenly found herself being dropped. The fall was not long but it certainly did startle her. "What the-…Oh c'mon!"

Nick disappeared from her side with a chuckle and roll of his eyes before climbing into the driver's seat of the pickup truck. "Hey. I told you that you won a prize and you are going to accept it. Now buckle up, _officer._ I'm not getting a ticket just because you want to play loose with the law."

Grumbling, Judy did just that, though not because he asked. She had trained her whole life to be the epitome of a perfect cop. And that meant following all the laws. She had even given herself a litter warning when a napkin she hadn't thrown away blew down the street.

By the time she had looked back up, Nick had already slipped on a spare shirt he must have gotten from the back. She had to admit that even though it covered up a rather delectable looking figure in her eyes, the way he filled out the shirt didn't hurt either. A pair of aviator shades finished his ensemble as he started the engine and turned out onto the road.

After a minute or two of not speaking and keeping focused on the traffic, the fox finally put an end to the silence. "Doin' alright, Carrots?"

"Are you always so articulate with the ladies, Wilde?" she teased. She was hoping to get some sort of rise out of him to break through his arrogant attitude.

"Only the cute ones," he replied, sending her a wink. Scoffing, Judy turned back forward, annoyed at his continuing use of the word. She wanted to put him in his place. Come back with something she knew would annoy him just as much. But something was holding her back. The slim, _very_ slim, chance that he might just mean 'cute' in a way that would cause her to do more than blush.

Taking a moment to herself, she brought her gaze to bear on the male next to her. She did not know much about foxes and what they find attractive in each other, but she couldn't believe he wouldn't be considered incredibly handsome. The deep orange-red of his fur mixing with a creamy undercoat, all of it with a healthy shine. The sinewy muscles of his strong biceps that must come from breaking down doors and handling those powerful water hoses. His own 'hose' that must b- _Oh no no no no! I am NOT thinking about that right now._

Nick chose that moment to look over and, seeing her unusually flushed, placed his paw against her forehead. "Whoa, bunny cop. I knew you were hot but this may be taking it a bit too far." Judy let out a giggle, something that rarely happened to her since she had moved to Zootopia.

"I'm fine, I swear." Nick shook his head and placed both paws back on the wheel.

"Dumb bunny, doesn't even know she's sick."

"Excuse me?!" Judy was shocked. "I'm not a dumb bunny!"

At the next stoplight, Nick untucked and leaned over, pressing his lips to her forehead. "Right. And that's not a high temperature. You'll never be a real cop-" she felt her heart plummet, "if you don't get better. Maybe listen to the nice EMT who knows what they are doing next time."

Judy stared at him, too stunned to speak. _He-…he thinks I can be a real cop?_

 _Well duh. Didn't he just tell your boss off earlier for the same thing?  
_ _What if he was just being nice?  
_ _Does he really seem like the type who just throws around major praise to be 'nice'?  
_ _…Okay so no, he doesn't. What does that mean though?  
_ _Well, he's complimented you, stood up for you, now he's helping you by taking you to get better. Plus he's called you cute, like, five times today.  
_ _Does he…Does he_ like _me?_

So wrapped up in her thoughts that she didn't notice when the truck had pulled up to the curb at the emergency room entrance until Nick had already parked and walked around to open her door.

"Your palace, your majesty," he said with a formal bow. She couldn't help but giggle again and take the offered paw.

"Why thank you, Mister Wilde." Hopping down, she looked up at the formidable building before her. She hated hospitals for a multitude of reasons, but there was one thing she knew was going to be brought up that she despised hearing. If she didn't trust the EMT's reasoning as well as Nick's that she needed to be seen, she might have chosen to just go home and ride it out.

She turned to see if Nick was going to go in with her only to see him already climbing back behind the wheel. _He's just going to leave me?!_ Stepping back up to the now closed passenger door, she looked at him. "Nick?"

The tone in her voice would have caught his attention even if it had not been his name she had spoken. Glancing over, he was taken with the way she fiddled with the end of her ear nervously, her eyes roving everywhere but directly at him. Until a deep breath ran through her and brilliant violet met deep green.

"Yeah, Carrots?"

"Do you…umm…do you _like_ me?" Nick's face froze much as her heart did when she uttered those words. Rather than seeming shocked by them, he instead looked contemplative. Almost as if he might have been expecting something like that and was still unsure how to respond.

"Do you know why I call you 'Carrots'?" If he counted on answering her question with one that seemed completely unrelated would throw her for a loop, he had certainly succeeded. She could only shake her head. "When I gave you CPR you tasted just like em." Putting the truck in gear, he looked at her. "I happen to like… _carrots."_ And with that he pulled away and headed for the exit, leaving the stupefied bunny to ponder exactly what he meant by that.

"Boiled radishes," she cursed. A small gasp came from a young bunny kit being brought in by his mother who was now glaring daggers at the police officer. Chagrined, she pulled out her phone and quickly sent a text to her favorite desk officer, asking if he knew who the best mammal would be to learn some interrogation tactics.

 _You may be the first, Wilde. But you're gonna start my record of ALWAYS getting my mammal._


	4. The ER, Where worst means first

**A/N: Man! This was one chapter in the original story and I've dragged it out to four and we're not done yet! Gonna hold a little vote for next chapter. Do you want to find out how Judy's parents go ballistic first, or see a bit of Nick's POV? Let me know in your comments!**

 **Disclaimer: It's peanut butter jelly time! And by peanut butter I mean breaking into the Disney vaults and stealing the rights to Zootopia so I don't have to disclaim anything anymore. And by jelly I mean a delicious kind of preserve that goes well on toast.**

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 **Chapter 4 - The ER, where worst means first**

 _I can't believe he just left me here._ Trudging through the automatic sliding doors, Judy was grinding her teeth, muttering incoherently under her breath. _Drags me to the ER. Acts very concerned about my wellbeing. And then he just leaves!_

Crossing the threshold she should have felt overwhelmed by all of the sounds coming from every direction. It was one of the few downsides of having exceptional hearing. Most bunnies tended to have difficulty in large crowds like those in an emergency room with the cries and general restlessness around them. The levels of anxiety radiating from the other mammals nearby mixing with the noise would cause their primitive instincts to fire rapidly. Oddly enough, it was also in these certain settings where a lot of bunnies tended to flourish on the other side of the aisle. Many rabbits were in the medical field often making very good doctors and nurses.

Judy meanwhile was consumed by her musings that it was as if an invisible shield was around her making all of the chaos around her shrink into nonexistence.

 _And what was that at the end? 'I like carrots.' What does that even mean? He keeps calling me Carrots and he said he tasted carrots on my breath during CPR. So is it me or the food? Ugh! Why do males have to be so infuriating?_

"Next!" Jostled from her thoughts, Judy looked ahead to see an impatient impala waving a hoof her way trying to get her attention. She figured that hadn't been the first time that hoof had been flashed her way. Stepping up to the desk Judy climbed on top of the chair provided, allowing her to look the antelope in the eye.

"Hi. Judy Hopps. I was caught in a fire earlier today and I think I may ha-"

"Oh so _you're_ the one." Confused at having been cut-off, she was even more so when the mammal rocked back a bit and fixed her with a stare, a mix of amusement and irritation in his gaze.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Granted." Seeing the doe's face scrunch up even more the impala finally lost it and started chuckling heavily. "I've fielded three calls about you today," he said merrily. It was an interesting tone for an emergency room worker but she figured he probably didn't get to see much joy in his line of work and decided not to bring it up.

"Calls? Three? By who!" she stammered. It was not a common thing to call ahead to an ER, much less about someone other than themselves, but apparently not only had one mammal done it, but three separate ones.

"Let's see…" he pulled a notepad from off to the side of his keyboard and flipped a few pages back. "I've got an EMT named Davis Blooming who says he treated you at the scene and advised you to come here." He looked up and shrugged, not really interested in that one. "That's pretty standard stuff to call ahead on, dealing with smoke inhalation. We've also got a 'Chief Bogo' of the ZPD who said you would be ' _coming in immediately and if she doesn't report by eighteen hundred hours_ ' we are supposed to call him so he can extend your leave. Oh," he glanced back down at the paper, "' _unpaid_ ' leave."

Judy groaned and looked over at the clock. Only the fact that it was currently five-twenty kept her from sliding from the chair into a puddle of despair. Now not only was her Chief keeping tabs on her, which he had the right to do with the medical requirements _,_ but he was also making her stick to a schedule. _Vacation by the day planner. Yay._

"And the third?"

"Oh right. Yeah the third came in just a few minutes ago. Like right after you came in. A…Nick Wilde." Judy's breath caught at the mention of the fox. "Said to say 'Follow the doctor's orders carrots.' Not sure what vegetables have to do with it but I'm not opposed to trying natural remedies for a few things. Anyways you're already checked in and it shouldn't be too long."

After thanking the nurse Judy headed to a seat to wait for her turn. _That's it. I give up. I will never understand foxes. Or maybe it's males in general._ Tipping her head back and closing her eyes, she ran her paw up and over her forehead, feeling the thin bandage the EMT had placed there. She had been right in thinking her cut was shallow and would not present a problem, however it had still been bleeding and they had decided to keep it from staining her fur.

She had found herself beginning to sink into the chair, her body finally relaxing after all the adrenaline of the day wearing her out, when the feel of a soft tug at her uniform had her opening her eyes. Peering to her left, the sight of a small fox kit brought a smile to her face. "Hey there, little guy."

Wide blue eyes and a broad smile greeted the doe while the very young tod seemed to be practically bouncing on his hindpaws. "You're the bunny that saved us!"

While she hadn't had a lot of time to engrain the children's faces in her memory with the chaos in the burning building, the child recognizing her would have been much easier for him. The soot stained police uniform was an obvious giveaway as well.

"I'm glad to see you are doing well," she managed to say while keeping a coo at the little boy's cuteness to herself. "How is your mom and sister?"

"Sissy is doing okay," he said brightly. "Mommy is-"

"RAPHAEL!"

"Uhh…she's here?" Becoming rather timid, the small vulpine tod offered her a guilty smile and stepped back slightly though still within arms length.

A vixen about a foot and a half taller than the doe came out of the exit door leading to the patient rooms. She was still in her hospital gown and there was a bandage wrapped around her head. She did not seem unsteady which was a good thing and the small girl she had by the paw seemed healthy and happy.

"Raphael what have I told you about running off? And these mammals are here to be helped, not bothered by a ridiculously hyperactive kit. I swear I should never have drank coffee while I was pregnant with you."

"Jane Russet, I presume?" Judy addressed the vixen, standing and offering her paw to the seemingly stressed out female. The fox eyed it with a hesitant look at seeing a badge on the officer's chest. While never having been mistreated by the police in the past, Jane had heard several stories of friends in situations like this to going well.

"Officer," she said warily. "What can I do for you?" She was a bit perplexed by the fact that the mammal in police blues in front of her was a bunny since she had never heard of a rabbit on the force before.

"Mommy!" the girl who was clutching her mother's paw yanked on her arm to get her attention. "That's the bunny from at the house!" Confusion marred the vixen's expression for a moment.

"Yeah!" chimed in Raphael. "She got us outta the fire! She was so cool, mommy! She was all like 'BAM!' and the window was like 'Spwuh!' And then she picked you up, SHE PICKED YOU UP! You were like ten thousand pounds and this police bunny just carried you like you were a hundred feathers. It was awesome!" The kit, who couldn't have been more than five or six years old began hopping up and down, circling around the three other mammals.

Jane's expression had turned from confusion to wonderment in only a moment. Dropping to her knee, she avoided the still extended paw and clasped the bunny to her, hugging her tight. "Oh my, little bunny. I-I don't have the words! What you did for my children…it's just so unbelievable!"

"It's okay, ma'am. That's what we do at the ZPD. I'm just thankful it all turned out alright." Pulling back and tilting her head curiously, she looked at the bandage still on the vixen's head. "Is everything alright?" she asked, gesturing to her own forehead.

"Oh. Yes it's nothing serious. I'm not sure what it was but something fell and hit me in the head. I suppose that's what…" She stopped with the sudden thought of what would have happened had the officer not heard her children crying for help. She had been unconscious and they all three would have died.

Judy could see the distress threatening to come over the vixen again and decided a distraction would be in order. "I'm surprised they are letting you out this soon."

"What? Oh!" Jane shook her head energetically. "No, we need to go back. We're still being treated for smoke inhalation but Raphael ran out here and I had to chase after him. He's not one to still, as you can see." Judy could indeed since the young tod had not slowed down for even a moment after beginning his hop around the group, still spring his legs viciously.

"Well, I'll let you get back to it then." Bidding the trio goodbye, she watched as they were almost through the doors before something occurred to her. "Oh, Mrs. Russet?"

"Yes dear?" she asked, her demeanor much more positive towards the young doe.

"Did you happen to see what started the fire? It would make it easier to finish the report for the fire department if you had."

"I'm afraid not, Officer Hopps. I was preparing a late snack for my kits and then I remember waking up outside of the apartment on the street." Judy thanked her and let the family get back to their room. They didn't seem to be any worse for the wear which was good and hopefully they stayed that way. Judy had almost settled back into her own seat when her name was called and she followed a nurse through those same doors the Russet's had just gone through.

"Hello Officer Hopps. My name is Beth and I will be taking care of you today." The otter had a very sweet disposition and Judy found it very comforting as she was led into the patient wing. "What brings you in today?"

"Well I was caught in a fire earlier today and I may have breathed in a bit too much smoke. Had a few coughing fits though they seem to come and go." The nurse nodded in understanding.

"It can certainly be annoying, I know. But we should get your lungs looked at. Smoke inhalation can cause serious issues, especially if left untreated." Gesturing Judy into a room, she had her climb up on the bed provided. They were in one of the small mammal rooms which she was grateful for as she was feeling too tired to clamber up the height of a larger bed's elevation. Beth took a seat at the nearby computer and began clacking away at the keys. "Now it says here you have several notes from mammals who recommended you come in. An EMT, the police chief, and a firefighter. Why did it take you so long to come in?"

"Well…" she began to explain but changed her mind partway through, deciding it was best that she keep that private. "It was a personal matter."

"Hm." Judy could tell the otter was curious but part of her job was to treat what needed to be treated and keep the personal things out of it unless they could affect the patient's health. In this case, while the matter had kept her from getting immediate medical attention, it did not fall under 'need to know' hospital policy. "Let's get the cuff on you and get a reading."

Routine doctor appointments were one of Judy's least favorite things. She could stand the exam of her eyes and ears, reflexes, even urinating into a cup, but the blood pressure cuff was one of the issues she had. The constricting feeling caused a slight panic to flash through her but she pushed through it like always, distracting herself by listing out the first one hundred criminal codes she memorized at the academy. She hadn't even realized they put a oxygen leveler on her digit until it was being take off.

"Alright Miss Hopps. Blood pressure looks good so no worries there. Your blood/oxygen ratio is low however. I want to get the doctor in here but for now I'm going to have you wear this," she reached her paw into one of the cabinets and handed Judy a breathing mask. Slipping it over her head, Judy sat while the otter hooked it up to an oxygen tank. "Just breathe normally. The doctor should be in very soon."

Judy thanked the nurse who left to go make the rest of her rounds. The gray rabbit sat alone, thankful for the time to try and get her thoughts together on the pandemonium that had been her morning and afternoon. At least that was the plan until she felt a buzzing sound in her pocket.

Leaving it in the meter maid cart had kept it safe and whole. Not even a scratch marred the screen. A screen that showed the smiling faces of her parents contact photo. Not wanting them to see her in a hospital and especially not with an oxygen mask on, she went to deny the call. Unfortunately, whether it was just that she was tired or simply a mistake, her digit was just a little too low. She watched in horror as the circle filled with the drag and the call screen was filled with two smiling bunnies. The smiles quickly melted to looks of shock and Judy felt her heart plummet.

"Hey look, it's my parents!"


	5. No good deed

**A/N: So with an overwhelming vote, a Nick chapter has arrived. And there was much rejoicing. Enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I am sooooo tired.  
What? That's all. Scram!**

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 _Chapter 5 - No good deed_

While foxes did not quite garner the respect other mammals enjoyed, there were a few exceptions to the rule. Those in casual wear would often be ignored or sometimes looked down upon, but if one was dressed for a position that spoke of importance then opinions tended to change immediately. Tods in sleek business suits and holding expensive leather briefcases gained looks of admiration while vixens in stunning high-end dresses spoke of models or powerful executives. Those in municipal jobs were also held above the standard, but none more so than ones who put their lives on the line for other mammals every day.

As one such mammal, Nick was more often than not spared the harsh criticisms against his species but only when he was decked out in ZFD gear. With the suspenders keeping his uniform pants on and the red and white t-shirt with 'ZFD' stamped across the front and back, he was left alone for the most part. Though that could be because he was currently pulled over to the side of the road hitting his head on the steering wheel repeatedly.

"Stop it, Wilde! You're being so friggin' stupid. She's a bunny, dammit! There's no way that would work out." Slumping over the column, the fox shut his eyes while trying to drive the doe's own beautiful purple ones from his memory. "Not to mention she's a cop. Hell, the ribbing from the guys was bad enough when they thought this was just a joke. Imagine the crap they'd be slinging if they found out I was having thoughts about a bunny police officer."

And he truly was thinking about her. Images of her gray fur and black tipped ears, like the markings of a fox, kept flashing before his eyes. _She smelled like lavender._

"Dammit Wilde! Enough of this. Just get back to the station and put her out of your mind." Putting the truck back in gear, he checked his mirrors before pulling back onto the road. His self-scolding seemed to work as his thoughts turned back to his work. _Stuck overnight tonight. Really hope there aren't any calls. Been up thirty-six hours and need some shuteye._ With the examinations he was asked to sit in on happening just yesterday, a small kitchen fire during the night had robbed him of his sleep. Then, just when things were seemingly calm, the duplex fire had popped up.

 _Maybe we'll get lucky though and have to respond to a trapped car. You can use the jaws of life and impress a certain bunny that might show up._

"GAH!" Irritated now at how his brain would not quit, he shouted at himself which probably looked utterly strange to anyone nearby. "You want to do this, brain? Now? She's a bunny, I'm a fox. She's in her early twenties most likely and I'm pre-iPod generation. Cop. Firefighter. How many more differences do I need?"

 _She smelled like lavender._ Nick groaned. He hated to admit it but he was losing the battle with himself. Regardless of the differences, there was so much more to admire of her.

 _She's selfless. Brave. And she doesn't look down on others because of what they are. Not many mammals would race into a burning building to save someone, especially if that someone was a fox._ But she had. And not just that but she was willing to risk herself even further by struggling to get the mother out. She had lifted three times her weight and pushed herself so far just to save someone she didn't even know. _Plus she is undeniably cute._

 _And those lips._ Without even thinking about it, he raised a paw to his mouth, brushing his digits along his own lips that had touched hers. The memory of that afternoon flashed before his eyes.

They had arrived at the scene roughly ten minutes after the call had come in. With it being nearly the other side of the city and traffic being rather uncooperative, the fire trip took far longer than was acceptable. Their dash camera would make sure that a lot of those vehicle owners were given stiff tickets for impeding emergency responders.

When they had pulled up, they were relieved to see that all of the occupants had made it out. The two bunnies were in no condition to talk to anyone, the mother woozy from being thrown out the window and the younger bunny was still a baby. It had surprised him to find a family of foxes living directly below them as the two species normally did not like to be so close to each other. They weren't faring much better though. The mother was still unconscious and the daughter was almost catatonic with fear. The little boy though recognized a fellow tod and quickly called out to him stating that the nice police bunny was still inside.

With that knowledge, fighting the fire became less of a concern as it turned into a rescue. Leaving Horton in charge of the hose, Nick and Richard had charged for the front door. Since he was so much larger than Nick, Richard began bashing in the door with his axe, pausing to tear the split wood with his paws. The bear was often used for busting through areas when the other larger mammals would be too tall to be as effective.

Soon enough the wood had been ripped to pieces and thrown onto the small front lawn. Shards of glass fell from the inset window but the firefighters feet wraps did their job and the two avoided cuts on the bottom of their hindpaws.

The heat just inside the door was intense. No matter how many times they breached a burning building, they would never get used to it. With flames licking at the walls and the entryway carpet a lake of literal fire, the two quickly set to work to clear a way through. A doorway to their left was moderately open and it took only a few seconds to move the debris enough for Nick to get through.

After squeezing himself past the cluttered beams and weakened walls falling around him, Nick left the bear in charge of cleaning the area so that they could get out with the victim quickly instead of being trapped themselves.

His eyes were limited by the smoke, but the tinted helmet visor kept them clear so that he could use his night vision to make his way. Fire may make light but it is not a kind that's useful to anyone, especially not when surrounded by the heat it produces as well.

Noting a small difference in the smoke's flow, Nick followed the trail, thankful for the oxygen tank on his back that provided him lungfuls of fresh air since there would be no avoiding it this long. It made him fearful for anyone still inside.

The blackness had been steadily creeping it's inky tendrils through what was left of the home when Nick practically tripped over a large foot sticking out from behind the counters near a blocked window. _That must be where they got out,_ he had thought, however that wasn't going to be of help anymore. Bending down, he tore the melting reflective vest from her uniform before it made it's way to her fur.

After hearing a shout from Richard that the walls were becoming unstable, Nick had scooped up the small bunny and, clutching her to his chest, ran back the way he came as quickly as he could. He didn't encounter anymore obstacles so getting out was relatively smooth, but one he was outside it became clearer that there was still more work to do.

After ripping off his helmet and discarding his gloves, Nick had checked for a pulse. The doe had one but it was faint. And her breathing had stopped. He knew he had only seconds to find a way to get her breathing again.

Looking around frantically, he noted the EMTs on site currently working on the other victims of the fire including the two fox kits he had seen when he had arrived. Thankfully all firefighters were equipped with respiratory masks to pump oxygen into a mammal's lungs to get them breathing again. But when he had reached behind him and produced the pump, he noted the small mammal seal had been compromised, possibly due to getting too close to the fire. With no time to rush to an ambulance and his co-firefighters too busy to hear him, Nick did the only thing he could think of.

Leaning down, he put his own lips over hers and formed a natural seal. After several breaths failed to get her breathing, he reached down to her chest and tore the kevlar vest free, the velcro straps on the back parting with ease. Placing both paws over her heart, he pressed down with great care not to injure her and make things much worse.

A rhythmic pattern of forceful presses followed by several more breaths did not seem to cause any change. He was beginning to panic. _You better not die on me, bunny,_ he had wanted to scream. Once more the compressions began but this time, when he went to press his lips to hers again, something finally happened.

It certainly was not what he was expecting to happen though. The moment their lips touched, what must have been an instinctual reaction seemed to wash over the doe. Facial muscles contracted and his CPR suddenly turned into a kiss. He knew he should pull away but it felt so wonderful he couldn't bring himself to do so. Her paws, which were laying on the ground at her sides, twitched as if to raise them up and wrap them around him based on how her lips were moving against his.

After a few seconds his mind gained back control and he scooted back several feet. His own breathing had escalated to where he would be astonished if he wasn't given a mask himself. It was when her eyes fluttered open to reveal stunning violet irises that he felt himself slipping before he was gone.

A loud horn brought him out of his trip down recent memory lane, jolting him so that the truck lurched forward from a sharp movement of his leg. Waving behind him to both apologize to the driver and make sure there were no hard feelings, Nick picked up a steady pace heading back towards the station once more.

It was only a few minutes on the road, but that short while seemed a small eternity when images kept flitting through his mind of a ridiculously cute mammal with long ears and a puffy cloud of a tail.

Even after the vehicle was parked back in the bay, Nick still did not move. Questions kept coming even when he tried to quiet his mind. A few more slams of his forehead into the steering wheel didn't help unfortunately and, since it was all he could think of, he decided to simply abandon the hope he could silence his imagination and got out of the truck.

"Hey Wilde! Welcome back." Nick hung his head briefly before straightening up and giving Richie a smirk.

"How was the wait for my majestic return?" Richard snorted at that. The rest of the crew, even the Chief, appreciated the fox's sense of humor. It helped on many days to lighten the dark moods they tended to face.

"Went pretty well, I gotta say. You treated the whole station to a ridiculous amount of junk food. Bobby even chipped in half his winnings from you for Chinese delivery." Nick groaned at that, remembering how light his wallet felt now. "Some of the boys are willing to go double or nothin' on her being back in less than forty eight hours to ask you out. And Eileen is talkin' triple or she takes you to that bar you guys like. With the chicken strips."

The fox started salivating, almost drooling at the suggested meal. He enjoyed chicken from pretty much anywhere you could get them, as did most predators, but the ones from their favorite bar were something special. He could never quite figure it out, but he was pretty sure it had something to do with the batter that made it deliciously crispy on the outside while keeping the chicken inside ridiculously tender. Mix that with some of the best ales in the city and it made for nights he would most likely never remember.

A sudden thought, or more like a multitude of them compressing together, had him pulling himself back together. "Oh hell no. Ellie ain't getting me that easy." Several things had happened that night to make him wary of any sort of deal they were offering. Especially from the females in the group. He knew they had seen something in the doe's actions that made them all supremely confident and he knew better than to go against a female's intuition. Richard just let out a deep belly laugh at that and slapped him on the back before heading inside.

Nick followed him in before heading over to the communal fridge. Grabbing a chilled beer, he popped the cap off and took a long swig. Though the heat from the fire had long disappeared and he was no longer dehydrated, the alcohol quenched the thirst he had not known he had. Deciding that perhaps now, with the station quiet for the time being and having to stay the night for a rotational shift, Nick headed for his cot, eager to get some sleep after being awake for nearly two days.

When he had reached the top of the stairs and turned towards the bunking area, he was surprised to find the lights off. Normally even when occupied the crew left some dim lights on for those without night vision to make their way in the dark. Peering in though gave him a pretty good idea why the lights were off. His gaze traced over a large form already situated in his bed. If he had judged the shape correctly, he expected quite a bit of amusing entertainment at his expense.

Switching on the overheads his guess was confirmed. There on his pillow and stretching quite a bit further was a large gray stuffed bunny. Someone had taken a permanent marker and tufted the ears black and another had taken the time to sew on a cloth police badge with the name 'Judy Hopps' inscribed on it. An almost deafening amount of laughter hit him from behind as a decent sized group stood there, enjoying the idea of having gotten the ruling king of pranks.

"Jokes on you losers. I'm gonna use it as a pillow!" And with the chuckles slowly dying behind him as each member of the crew left to do their own thing, Nick did exactly that. He curled up with the pillow and placed his head down.

 _This isn't helping to put her out of your mind you know,_ his inner voice taunted him.

 _Oh shut up,_ his emotional side shot back. _Let me have this._


	6. A chat is had

**A/N: Been a while since I wrote a chapter for this story. Sorry about that. Bee ridiculously busy lately. Hope you all enjoy!**

 **This chapter is going to differ where the original story went, so for fans of the first draft I hope it's not too off-putting. I do not like writing (or reading) the type of content that was in the original.**

 **Disclaimer: Hey Disney, if you're reading this then any praise/money/swag can be sent my way. Any negativity and/or lawsuits send to Anheilder.**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 6 - A chat is had**_

 _"Hey look, it's my parents!"_

The forced cheer in her voice was muffled by the oxygen mask still over her mouth and nose. She could tell by the wide eyes of her mother and the flapping, soundless jaw of her father, that it was not the best look for them to see. Especially with how they already felt about her job.

"Judy! Wha-what _happened?_ " Her mother's voice was filled with the shrill sound of panic, a tone reserved only for a parent over the safety and worry of a child. Thinking it was better to risk the doctor's ire than her parent's, Judy lifted the mask off her face and over her ears.

"It's okay, mom. I'm fine. Hi dad!" she waved to her still frozen father. To his credit he managed to wave back meekly, though he still was mouthing nonsensical words in shock.

"Fine? _Fine?!_ You are most certainly _not_ fine, missy! You're in the hospital-yes that's right I can see the gurney and part of the curtain behind you. You're in the hospital with an oxygen mask and that only happens when someone is _not fine!_ " Bonnie started to hyperventilate. Judy, sensing her mother would eventually drive herself into a full-on frenzy, tried to calm her down.

"It's just standard procedure, mom," Judy reassured her. "When dealing with smoke inhal-…" Her mouth had run unchecked once again, reciting off facts she had memorized in training and too late did she realize it was the worst possible thing she could say in that moment. _Oh crap._

"Smoke inhalation? _Smoke inhalation?!"_ Now Bonnie's voice was so high-pitched Judy was sure some of the canines in the waiting area were glancing around in confusion. "What on earth were you doing that you were breathing in smoke?!"

"Now Bon, I'm sure it wasn't anything dangerous," Stu began, placing his paw on his wife's shoulder to try and calm her down. "She may have just been keeping folks away from a fire. You know, herding the crowd."

"I was rescuing some mammals from a burning building."

"Or she could have been rescuing some mammals from a burning building," he continued, his voice now very faint and looking at the matronly doe with concern.

"You were inside a building that was on _fire?!_ " It looked to Judy that her mother my just keel over in shock, but the way she was acting was starting to get a bit on her nerves. How she had completely ignored Judy's heroics in favor of focusing on the danger aspect wasn't how Judy had wanted the conversation to go.

"Yeah, mom. Saving three small _children_ and their _mothers._ You know, keeping them from being burned alive?" That had the effect of slightly mollifying her own mother much to Judy's pleasure. The knowledge that her actions had resulted in several children getting rescued was enough for Bonnie to reevaluate being upset with her daughter.

"I'm sorry Bun-Bun. It's just…you were a meter maid just last night and now you're running into burning buildings. I just…it's a lot to take in all at once." The look of distress slowly faded from her mother's face before her eyes narrowed in determination. "Don't you worry though. I'll be there in just a few hours on the late-night train. I'll see you soon!"

"Wait, what? Mom, no!" Her shout went unheard however as her mother had disappeared from the screen before she could get the first two words out. All she was left with was her father's still stunned expression. "Dad, you need to stop her."

Shaking his head, Stu was happy to focus on a conversation he knew something about. "Oh c'mon, Jude. You know that nothing I say, or anyone else for that matter. When your mother has her mind set on something it's best to just get out of her way." As if to prove his point, her father stepped back as far as he could while Bonnie crossed in front of the phone with a suitcase.

"But what about the farm? And the family? Doesn't mom need to be there?" With so many siblings it was astounding to even think the doe of the house would willingly leave on a whim.

"Well, school's out this week. Some reason or another with a broken pipe. Third and fourth wings are flooded. So they are all home and I've got 'em out hauling up carrots and sowing corn in the back forty," he added with pride, tucking his thumbs behind his overalls. Nearly all of his children had decided to follow in his footsteps and become farmers, and quite a few of them had what it took to become owners of their own. Judy had always been different, though it never made him any less proud. Just a lot more scared.

A loud honking sound interrupted their conversation and had Stu looking in the direction his wife had just hurried to. Hanging his head, he murmured indistinctly under his breath before lifting his gaze to meet his daughter's. "Your mom needs me to drive her to the station. Have her message me when she arrives, okay Jude?"

Sighing heavily, Judy nodded in defeat. "Yeah dad. I got it. Love you."

"Love you too, Jude. Bye!" With a bright smile and a cheery wave Stu disappeared off the phone. Judy stifled a laugh at how the picture didn't end for several seconds while her father tried to find the 'off switch' he was swearing about.

Putting the phone away, Judy let her head fall into her paws. "Mom coming here. Just great. As if I didn't have enough to deal with I gotta put up with her helicopter parenting. It's been less than a _day_ that I've done more than just meter duty and already I'm paying for it."

"Not to mention ignoring the advice of your doctor." Judy nearly leapt from her seat at the voice coming from the doorway which had opened without her noticing. _Way to go, Judy. Don't pay attention to your ears. That's the type of thing that gets you killed._ She finished her mental kicking of herself and turned to greet the new mammal. She was only lightly surprised to see another doe like herself entering the room. The white coat covering her brown and cream torso along with the stethoscope hanging from her neck told her that not only had her doctor arrived, but that she had done so in time to see her dismissing the recommended oxygen mask the nurse had instructed her to use.

"Oh! Umm…sorry. I just…my parents are, well-"

"Too overprotective?" the doctor finished for her while striding up next to the chair. Directing the gray doe up onto the examination table, the second bunny walked around and used a nearby button to lower it to both of their level.

Judy laid back on the bed-like table. "You too, huh?" Knowing that city bunnies are more progressive in what their offspring wanted to do, and that a doctor would have made most families overly proud, the protectiveness would for one other reason. "Bunnyburrow?"

"Podunk, actually," the doctor said, wrapping a blood pressure cuff around her patient's arm. "My name is Doctor Blossoms. I see on your chart that you had no less than three others calling in about your symptoms including the Chief of police and a firefighter. And it took you so long to come in…why?"

"Ummm…I plead the fifth?" Judy tried to offer a joke, hoping it would distract the doctor long enough to forget the question. However that idea was quickly demolished when the doe gave her a piercing look.

"Officer Hopps, I won't demand that you tell me what you were doing, but if it was exasperating your condition I really need to know so that I can treat you appropriately." The professional concern was evident in her voice, but unlike most doctors who had been in the game for a long time, hers still held compassion and understanding.

Judy sighed but after a quick internal battle with herself decided she did need to open up, if to only be cleared and headed home faster. "I went to visit the firefighter who saved me. Brought the department pizza as a thank you. I guess time just got away from me." It wasn't the whole truth but it was enough to hopefully avoid any awkward questions. Ones she wasn't all that sure she had answers for herself.

"I see." Several scribbles happened on the notepad the doctor held while she took the readings from the blood pressure machine. "Well, as your doctor for today I am going to tell you that was very foolish as you could have gotten much worse a lot quicker. As another rabbit I wish I could cuff you upside the head and call your mother myself." Judy chuckled lightly, very thankful that she was in fact her doctor, though that chuckle died when a thermometer was stuck in her mouth.

"Alright. So temperature is a little elevated. Breathe deep," Dr. Blossoms said while having Judy lift her uniform so she could place her stethoscope against her chest and back. On the third breath Judy coughed a bit heavily but it came under control soon after. "Still have residual effects from the smoke inhalation but they seem to be dissipating. That's definitely a positive." Pressing a paw to the gray doe's midsection, she pressed moderately and took in the wince from the rabbit. Trailing her paw higher, the doctor pressed against her ribs eliciting a gasp and a heavier flinch.

"I've got good news and bad. Good news, nothing is broken, so I won't be sidelining you from work for weeks. Bad news, you have several that are bruised pretty heavily. So I _will_ be giving you a prescription for some pain meds and informing your Chief that you are to have three days of recuperation _minimum_."

Judy wanted to argue but the flare from her ribs where the doctor had pressed made her reconsider. Her job would still be there in three days and she would be fit enough to prove herself to Bogo and the rest of her co-workers. Not to mention getting a chance to see Nick again when she was at her prime and not quite so easily distracted or brushed off. The thought of seeing the fox again made her feel very warm, especially in areas she normally tried to ignore.

Dr. Blossoms was making several notes on her chart when a subtle scent caught her attention. It wasn't normally something she would detect from a rabbit, especially in this day and age, and while it was none of her business, she felt it was something she should comment on.

"Miss Hopps, how long have you been off suppressants?" The question caught Judy off guard, but answered it nonetheless.

"I haven't taken them since Junior year. They aren't allowed at the academy or in the ZPD because it causes a drop in reaction time and for bunnies that means year-round, not just a few weeks so I began training to resist any urges without taking them. I've never had any problems."

"Well, it appears you may have an issue now." The other doe pointed to her wiggling nose, letting Judy know she was getting a scent. "Were you thinking of anyone just now? A certain buck perhaps?"

"Umm…not exactly?" Deciding not to get into specifics, Judy looked down at her paws, not able to think of anything else to say beyond the obvious. "Without suppressants, what will happen to me? To my job?"

"Well, as you said the suppressants can cause a delay in our reflexes. One of the few curses of being a bunny doe I'm afraid. However not taking them could be more than you feel you can handle. I'm sure your mother would have told you and your school's sex-ed program?" Judy nodded, but she would be lying if she said she had paid very close attention. The doctor noticed the slight hesitation and rolled her eyes. Though only a year or two older than Judy herself, the brown colored doe had encountered so many rabbits in Judy's situation that she felt much older.

"If you don't use suppressants your body will go into a constant state of hormonal flux. You could, for instance, be in the middle of cuffing a thief, think about the mammal you are attracted to momentarily, and have a wave of emotional and physical desire sweep across you. You can imagine how distracting that would be. Not to mention if you were actually _with_ that mammal and that wave hit you. You might become so overwhelmed that you throw yourself at them regardless of the circumstances."

Judy's eyes widened. "Oh that can _not_ happen! I am a cop! I can't just strip out of my uniform and jump him! What can I do?"

"Well, there's a couple options. The first is suppressants which you've already decided is _not_ one. The other is to become pregnant," Judy winced heavily which made the doctor stifle a chuckle. "There's one other that is said to work but I don't believe it's real nor do I think would ever be used. Just try to hate them."

"I can't do that. I mean he's arrogant and smug and sometimes a bit rude but in the end he's handsome, caring, compassionate, and brave. I just don't see how I could bring myself to hate him. Especially after what he's done for me. But why now? How is it different now? There are plenty of good looking mammals out there."

"It's different because before I'm guessing you were never really attracted to anyone. And it's more than just looks that cause this. I don't start panting like a idiot whenever I see Orlando Bloom dressed as a pirate buck. Okay, bad example. We all do that. But it's about seeing someone as a mate." Tilting her head, she had to admit she was impressed by whoever must have captured the bunny's attention and said as much. "Must be one heck of a buck."

Judy flushed heavily, the insides of her ears turning red. "What if I said he wasn't a buck?" Dr. Blossoms arched a brow.

"Well you've said 'he' plenty of times so I'm guessing it's not a doe. It's none of my business but if you feel like divulging?"

"He's…a fox."

The two does stared at one another. One in defiance, the other in shock. Judy practically dared the doctor to say something negative.

"Well…I'm not gonna lie, that's a first for me. Interspecies isn't all that taboo these days like it was back in our parents. Predator and prey…that's a bit more complicated but I do know a few couples. A fox and a bunny though…that's an interesting pair," the brown doe said thoughtfully.

"Oh? And what makes you say that?" Judy's suspicious tone was quite obvious but so was the curiosity.

"Well…ummm…" Judy found it amusing to see the doctor's own ears flush in embarrassment. "You see…canines have…something…down there. I have a hard time imagining- not that I do! Cause I don't! I just…don't see how it would fit," she finished quite lamely.


End file.
